Lately, I've been wondering if Russian "retreats" were a kind of feint designed to lure Ukrainians into a trap. It seems a truce SHOULD be declared for the good of humanity, but of course many in West/Ukraine probably hoping for total victory and end of Putin regime. US in a strangely good position with Russia/China if they simply keep up defensive posture/let bad guys be aggressors/get rest of world on their side/wait for bad guy's economies to wither. As you said, this gets much more problematic if chemical weapons/nukes are used.